How to Create A Movie Color Palette Like Ridley Scott [FREE LUT Pack]

irector Ridley Scott has said: “Life isn’t black and white. It’s a million gray areas.” From Alien to Gladiator, Ridley Scott movies explore the often difficult questions surrounding morality and existence. Actions accepted in one reality, may be condemned in another. But what helps Ridley Scott films dissect these complex issues are their use of color theory.

In this post, we’re going to review Ridley Scott’s approach to choosing color palettes, and provide a free Ridley Scott color grading LUT Pack you can use on your next project.

How to Use Color Like Ridley Scott

Movie Color Palette Like Ridley Scott

Monochromatic Colors

Monochromatic colors create a strong sense of visual cohesion.

By using varying shades of a single color, the harmony of a scene can either be soothing, or create a bleak worldview (depending on the colors used). Ridley Scott movies recognize this aspect of color theory, and use singular tones to construct and reinforce narrative elements. Consider The Martian, for example.

But rather than lose hope, the all-encompassing warm colors provide both the character and audience a sense of optimism.

Cinema is first and foremost a visual medium, and knowing how to utilize the language of color palettes will will help in progressing the narrative forward.

MOVIE COLOR PALETTE LIKE RIDLEY SCOTT

Associative Colors

In Ridley Scott films, color palettes often use associative colors to enhance the symbolism within a story.

A recurring color scheme can represent a particular person, place or idea. This can elicit a visceral reaction when viewers see the color on screen. This color theory tactic is very much present in the best Ridley Scott movies.

In the case of Black Hawk Down, Scott uses muddy brown and olive tones to establish the desolate and bleak landscape that is war-torn Mogadishu.

Ridley Scott Movie Color Palette - Black Hawk Down Helicopter

Although green can represent renewal and growth, it can also relate to greed, jealousy and sickness.

The introduction of an out-of-place color in an otherwise balanced color scheme breaks the harmony of a scene.

Ridley Scott Movie Color Palette - Prometheus - Yellow Chambers

Here, David’s presence raises questions about his intentions. Is he simply curious about these sleeping passengers, or is there something more sinister afoot?

It is the color dissonance that heightens an audience’s sense of unease.

Ridley Scott Movie Color Palette - Prometheus - David on Ship

For Ridley Scott films, foreign colors against monochromatic landscapes reinforce the notion that characters are not natural (nor welcome) in these alien worlds.

Download Your FREE Cinematic LUTs Pack for Color Grading

Make your project look and feel like a Ridley Scott masterpiece. These LUTs are designed with S-LOG footage in mind but can be used for any type of footage.

"The Martian" LUT Pack

A perfect pack to give your project a highly saturated and contrasty look.

"BLADE RUNNER" LUT PACK

Delivers a variety of styles to give your scene a cold, desolate look.

THE "BLACK HAWK DOWN" LUT PACK

Two tones are included to give your a scene gritty, saturated look.

Download your FREE cinematic LUT pack below.

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How to Use Color in Film: 50+ Examples of Movie Color Palettes

Ridley Scott has said, “Perhaps because of my background, I’m drawn to rich and beautiful colors.” Although Ridley Scott movies have taken on a wide-range of subject matter, they always make color integral to strengthening the elements of the narrative.

By embracing the psychology of color theory, Scott has ensured that his stories remain not only visually impactful, but thematically as well.

Matthew Vasiliauskas is a graduate of Columbia University. His work has appeared in publications such as Conjunctions, Berlin’s Sand Literary Journal, Chicago Literati and The Pennsylvania Review. Matthew currently lives and works in Los Angeles.